Running Man by Ollie Gabriel

From a small-town Louisiana to over 10 million streams on European Spotify, Ollie Gabriel is the next soul man to grace the charts. Taking cues from greats like James Brown and Otis Redding, Gabriel aims to create positive and uplifting tunes. On the subject, the singer says, “I’m not a preacher nor a saint but my songs come from a place of joy, deep love and a lot of happiness.” His road to success began when he moved to LA and had his music featured through television ads on networks like NBC and MTV. In February this year, Gabriel released his single Running Man which has since charted in Austria’s top five, Germany’s top thirty and Switzerland’s top twenty.

This single had a great, upbeat feel to it. The syncopated rhythm of the piano chords juxtaposed with the constant beat was effective and catchy. What struck me the most was Gabriel’s tonal quality. His gritty vocals are just the sort of energy the track needed. What I would have loved to hear was a little moe light and shade. I think he came out of the blocks running at full speed which would have been great if he was competing in a sprint, but not for a song that needed some ups and downs. On the plus side, the melody on this track is extremely singable, especially the ‘feet don’t fail me now’ section.

Overall this really is a great track for Gabriel’s debut. I think if he continues to put this much energy and vibrancy into his music he will be a force to be reckoned with. I give it 9/10.